One cannot even use the restroom in peace at my place of employment. Every employee bathroom, nurse's station, break room, copy room, pt's rooms, hallway, elevator, cafeteria, locker rooms etc; are flooded with cutesy reminders and hospital news of some sort. Whatever happend to putting in an email or maybe one or two designated areas?
I just about had it yesterday when sitting on the toilet and not one spot of the four walls had an empty spot. All sorts of reminders, press ganey mantras and reprimands posted everywhere. What put me over the edge was a small reminder taped to the toilet roll dispenser!
Then, as I was was washing my hands in the lower left corner of the mirror was a cutesy little reminder........."Did you sign the sheet acknowledging you read the latest issue of Potty Talk".
It is sickening! Sorry, just feeling particularly crabby today and I am home
Btw, Did you wash your hands? Did you check your emails? Did you finish your dot Edu's, Did you smile to all your guests today? Did you sign up for extra shifts? Did you note all your orders?
Specializes in Leadership, Psych, HomeCare, Amb. Care.
What planet are you nursing on? Can you really expect us to hand over the phone each time we take a bathroom break??
That would have to include some kind of report. You can't expect a co-worker to be able to field your calls.
Reality did not enter that pilot project.
Why so hostile a response?
Yes, they hand over their phones. Why not?
Beats the alternative of taking it into a toilet with you, contaminating it and then recontaminating your hands every time you touch it.
If the nurse is expecting a callback, she can turf it to the nurse; if not she can say "Jean will be back in a minute, cam I help you or have her call you back?"
And it's a separate initiative that focuses on encouraging the nurses to actually take uninterrupted breaks. `Believe it or not, we actually have nurses that go off unit for a quick break or to buy their lunch. It's a slow cultural transition, but it's happening
I'm a new grad working in the dreaded LTC. lol As is often mentioned we don't get a very thorough or very long orientation. I was using the ladies room next to the station. I found out when that room was occupied that there was a STAFF restroom! This was more than a week in to my ort. I said "Eeew. The staff restroom is always worse than the public one!" "No, this one's nice!" With trepidation, I unlocked it. The place is a ******* OASIS! There are framed prints and fake flowers and and a table with tchockes with inspirational quotes. Really, it's nicer than the bathroom in my house. No memos. YAY!
Since breaks should be uninterrupted, staff were encouraged to hand off their phones if going off the unit (including lavatory). I'm sure you'll wash your hands, but will you be disinfecting the phone too?
If a nurse doesn't have time to pee, she likely won't have time to find coverage/give report for a one minute break. I'd ignore it and call them back 30 seconds later with an apology that I dropped it or something.
Beats the alternative of taking it into a toilet with you, contaminating it and then recontaminating your hands every time you touch it.
If the nurse is expecting a callback, she can turf it to the nurse; if not she can say "Jean will be back in a minute, cam I help you or have her call you back?"
And it's a separate initiative that focuses on encouraging the nurses to actually take uninterrupted breaks. `Believe it or not, we actually have nurses that go off unit for a quick break or to buy their lunch. It's a slow cultural transition, but it's happening
This is another example of "leadership" regulations that are not practical .
If I were to hand off the phone, I am making that already overworked nurse MY secretary.
In REALITY, she is way too busy to answer the phone just to explain I am unavailable. If I do not answer, the caller will just have to call back or call the unit. Nothing wrong with old fashioned communication either.
I don't understand the concern about contaminating the phone in the bathroom.
What about all the other times throughout the day?? I know when my phone is contaminated and I clean it accordingly.
What are you doing to your phone in the bathroom? Are you wiping with it? Toilet paper would be more comfortable.
I have learned that the secret to getting a doc to call back is to go in the bathroom. It never fails, I need to pee, I try to wait until I get the return phone call, and sure enough, I give up and go to the bathroom, pull my pants down, and buzzzzz...
Bwahaha! Isn't that the truth
Happens to me all the time or when I am waiting for a Dr. to come do rounds and never shows. I finally give up, go down the hall to the vending machine for a water and he's there looking for the nurse
Beats the alternative of taking it into a toilet with you, contaminating it and then recontaminating your hands every time you touch it.
If the nurse is expecting a callback, she can turf it to the nurse; if not she can say "Jean will be back in a minute, cam I help you or have her call you back?"
And it's a separate initiative that focuses on encouraging the nurses to actually take uninterrupted breaks. `Believe it or not, we actually have nurses that go off unit for a quick break or to buy their lunch. It's a slow cultural transition, but it's happening
Ok, I gotta ask this one. So, do they hand over their pens, badges, personal cell phones, chapstick and pocket contents as well? I mean why not right?
I have a more efficient solution for you. How about hanging a bottle of sani wipes right outside the door with a box of gloves next to it. You know, next to the soap/gel/foam dispenser
This is like when one attempts to take a harried lunch break and someone is SUPPOSED to be covering for you and wha-la, here comes the Dr, Case Management, the aide, dietary, PT, OT, etc. looking for you for an 'update' of whatever the heck they need.
Doesn't work too well, so I learned to bring foods that can be easily scarfed down and move on. lol
Beats the alternative of taking it into a toilet with you, contaminating it and then recontaminating your hands every time you touch it.
I still must know:
WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO YOUR PHONE IN THE BATHROOM THAT'S CONTAMINATING IT????
I have lots of stuff in my pockets. It all goes in the bathroom with me. As do my scrubs, shoes, socks and undies. Should I be turning my undies over to another nurse when I go pee along with my phone?
Specializes in Leadership, Psych, HomeCare, Amb. Care.
I still must know:
WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO YOUR PHONE IN THE BATHROOM THAT'S CONTAMINATING IT????
Geez, calm down. No need to yell.
People here complained about being unable to take a bathroom break without being interrupted by a call.
If it rings, you have the choice of sitting there & letting it ring out, or answering the phone with soiled hands. You do realize that if you touch the phone while on the toilet, or before you've washed your hands, you've contaminated it, don't you? If you don't then you need to talk to your nurse epidemiologist/infectious disease dept.
Hand it off, leave it in the nurses station, or let the ringing interrupt your moment of tranquility...I don't care. Just keep your hands off it while in the crapper until after you washed your hands.
People here complained about being unable to take a bathroom break without being interrupted by a call.
If it rings, you have the choice of sitting there & letting it ring out, or answering the phone with soiled hands. You do realize that if you touch the phone while on the toilet, or before you've washed your hands, you've contaminated it, don't you? If you don't then you need to talk to your nurse epidemiologist/infectious disease dept.
Hand it off, leave it in the nurses station, or let the ringing interrupt your moment of tranquility...I don't care. Just keep your hands off it while in the crapper until after you washed your hands.
You do realize you talking to a group of professionals, don't you?
If you don't then you need to .....
Stop talking to us like we are children.
We are quite aware what is needed in the bathroom.
People here complained about being unable to take a bathroom break without being interrupted by a call.
If it rings, you have the choice of sitting there & letting it ring out, or answering the phone with soiled hands. You do realize that if you touch the phone while on the toilet, or before you've washed your hands, you've contaminated it, don't you? If you don't then you need to talk to your nurse epidemiologist/infectious disease dept.
Hand it off, leave it in the nurses station, or let the ringing interrupt your moment of tranquility...I don't care. Just keep your hands off it while in the crapper until after you washed your hands.
I don't know about you all but it takes me less than 30 seconds to wipe. I flush with my foot and promptly wash. What I really mean is..........you are not playing in your poo the entire time you are in there. If I am sitting in the Johnn, pulling down my pants to sit on the commode shouldn't 'soil' my hands anymore than touching any other object out of the bathroom. I was also taught to wash my hands prior to sitting on the commode and wiping me nether regions.
Truth be told, the bathroom gets clean so many times a day and night unlike the pyxis, counters, charts, stethescopes, unit phones, call bell, etcetera.
I still prefer to hang on to my phone (in my pocket where it sits most of the shift)
MrChicagoRN, RN
2,610 Posts
Why so hostile a response?
Yes, they hand over their phones. Why not?
Beats the alternative of taking it into a toilet with you, contaminating it and then recontaminating your hands every time you touch it.
If the nurse is expecting a callback, she can turf it to the nurse; if not she can say "Jean will be back in a minute, cam I help you or have her call you back?"
And it's a separate initiative that focuses on encouraging the nurses to actually take uninterrupted breaks. `Believe it or not, we actually have nurses that go off unit for a quick break or to buy their lunch. It's a slow cultural transition, but it's happening